In the past couple of years, Wendy Wilson Billiot has become one of my favorite Louisiana writers.

And not, oddly enough, because of a book.

I appreciate her writing because of her distinct voice in her “Bayou Woman: Life in the Louisiana Wetlands” blog and the enthusiasm she shows for the topics she writes about.

A native of Shreveport and graduate of Bossier High, Billiot almost vibrates with affection for the Louisiana wetlands and south Louisiana, an every-day environmentalist who rolls up her sleeves and goes to work to preserve a way of life.

She’s the kind of writer who makes you feel like you know her, and she’s always got something going on—from leading boat tours to educating people about the value of Louisiana’s natural resources to reminding folks that it’s shrimping season or describing being a judge in the Ponchatoula Gumbo Cook-off. She even has a bayou cabin she rents to guests.

Wendy Wilson Billiot(Photo: Courtesy photo)

A U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and owner of Wetland Tours & Guide Service, she has written two children’s books, including the recently released “Regret The Egret,” and been recognized by the Louisiana Outdoor Writer Association numerous times.

About her children’s books

A resident of Terrebonne Parish, she shows her knowledge of swamps and wildlife in “Regret The Egret,” a clever fable for children. This is a story about an endangered bird learning to be true to himself — with a reminder to be content in our own skin.

Billiot hopes the book will educate children about natural resources and about those who live in the bayous.

“I was inspired in the 1980s by Mary Alice Fontenot’s children’s picture books with Clovis the Crawfish as the main character,” she said. The mother of five, she read them to her children. “Regret the Egret,” written in 2004 but just released, is part of a planned “Bayou Bird Fables” trilogy.

“As a boat tour guide, acquiring knowledge of the plants, animals, and birds is key to a great tour,” she said. “The fact that these birds were hunted nearly to extinction for their feathers is an important part of their history in Louisiana.”

The book is illustrated by Kayla Harris Johnson of Ruston, digital artist, children’s book illustrator, animal lover and photo editor. Johnson also has an Etsy shop where she sells downloadable illustrations, many with a Louisiana flavor. For more information, see www.KaylaHarrisJohnson.com.

“Regret the Egret” is published by Wetlands Media and is available in digital and paperback formats at www.bayouwoman.com and from online booksellers.

Billiot also wrote “Before the Saltwater Came,” published in 2005 and re-released in 2015, a story told by an old otter. “It is the account of 30 years of wetlands loss I witnessed,” Billiot said.

(Photo: File)

Living on the bayou

“In 1978, I moved from north Louisiana to south Louisiana to work as a roustabout and fell in love with the water, the people, the culture and way of life,” she says on her website. “I married a Houma Indian in 1981 and have lived on the bayou ever since.”

Her unique perspective shines in the ways she describes life in Louisiana—from geography and culture to the death of a beloved elderly family member to offering regional recipes. A recent post, for example, includes a recipe for old-fashioned fig preserves, a favorite of mine since my mother made them I was a child.

If you check out Billiot’s “Bayou Cooking” posts (also on her website at www.bayouwoman.com), you’ll find recipes for everything from “Crawfish Stew for Beginners” to “Blackberry or Dewberry Cobbler.”

By combining boat tours, wetland education and the rental cabin, Billiot immerses guests in what it’s like to live in the Louisiana wetlands and offers overnight trips for families, bird watchers, photographers and the curious environmentalist.

What we should know about South Louisiana

What, I asked Billiot in an interview, are three things she wishes people knew about the southern part of our state? Her answer:

1.“South Louisiana is protected by the coastal marshes, which are disappearing at a rate of a football field every half hour across the entire coast of the state. These wetlands are crucial to the life cycles of marine life, especially the seafood that Louisiana is so well known for. Without a healthy estuary system, this part of the culture will vanish, as well. These wetlands support a culture and way of life. As they disappear, so do these things.”

2. “Not everyone who lives in south Louisiana and speaks French is Cajun; the Houma Indians, for example, are not Cajun.”

3. “There is way more to south Louisiana than New Orleans. When you come down, make a point to get out of the city and visit the bayous south of the city and enjoy a boat tour. You’ll be glad you did.”

To contact Billiot

“Since I was born in Shreveport and reared in Bossier, I’d be happy to travel to the Shreveport-Bossier area to sell and sign books,” she said. “My younger sister lives in Shreveport, and my brother lives in Benton.” To contact her (or to enjoy her blog), see www.bayouwoman.com.

Author Judy Christie has written nine novels, including “Wreath, A Girl” and “Wreath, In Summer.” She has, sadly, only made dewberry cobbler once. For more information on Christie (and a free short guide to writing your own novel), see www.judychristie.com.